Modern cotton harvesters include relatively large high volume receptacles that are mounted to a frame of the harvester for holding harvested cotton materials received from harvesting structure mounted on the frame of the harvester. The receptacle typically includes a lower basket portion with an upper basket portion mounted thereon for elevational movement between a raised field working position and a retracted storage position. Moreover, drivers are provided for moving the lower basket portion between an operational position and a cotton discharge position.
Although beneficially increasing the capacity of the receptacle maintaining the upper basket portion in the field working position presents certain problems and drawbacks. Because of shipping size limitations, the upper basket portion must be moved to its retracted storage position when the harvester is freighted by rail or truck. Because of power lines and the like, the increased height of the receptacle provided with the upper basket portion in a raised field working position, makes it difficult to transport the harvester from one location to another. Moreover, the normal height of barn doors makes moving the harvester indoors for repairs or storage a problem because of the increased height added to the receptacle by the upper basket portion.
A conventional cotton harvester further includes cotton conveying duct structure extending upwardly from the harvesting structure. To optimize the cotton holding capacity of the receptacle, the cotton conveying duct structure extends to a top forward portion of the upper basket portion whereat cotton materials are introduced into the receptacle. To allow the upper basket portion of the receptacle to vertically move relative to the lower basket portion without interfering or impacting with the cotton conveying duct structure, a gap or opening separates the distal end of the cotton conveying structure from the receptacle.
To promote the delivery of cotton materials from the duct structure into the receptacle, the upper basket portion further includes a hood assembly that bridges the gap or opening separating the discharge end of the duct structure from the receptacle. The hood assembly includes rigid hood structure that extends outwardly from the top forward portion receptacle, extends vertically over and partially surrounds the discharge end of the duct structure. The hood assembly includes rigid hood structure that outwardly extends from the top forward portion of the receptacle vertically over and partially surrounds the duct structure to define a channel through which cotton materials are guided toward the receptacle.
While the height of the duct structure can exceed the desire transportation height of the harvester, lowering the upper basket portion to a retracted storage position involves a significant amount of effort to disassemble portions of the receptacle. The upper basket portion of the receptacle is typically maintained in its raised or transport position by a series of bolts fastened about the periphery of the receptacle. Each bolt needs to be unfastened before the upper basket portion can be elevationally positioned relative to the lower basket portion. Moreover, and as mentioned, a portion of the hood structure of the hood assembly is arranged to extend over and surround the distal end of the duct structure. Accordingly, the hood structure comprising the hood assembly needs to be removed before the upper basket portion can be lowered to a retracted position. Unless the hood assembly is removed or retracted prior to the upper basket portion being moved to a storage position, significant damage to the duct structure can result with the upper basket portion being retracted and the hood assembly in an extended position. A customer, for example who desires to transport the cotton harvester from one location to another, therefore, must often spend a considerable number of man hours in tearing down and setting up the receptacle, thereby reducing the overall productivity and efficiency of the harvester.
As mentioned above, the lower basket portion is provided with drivers for moving the receptacle between an operational position and a cotton discharging position. In one form, the upper basket portion of the receptacle is provided with drivers for positioning it between its storage and field working positions. Typically, such drivers include two or more hydraulic cylinders. Each cylinder is typically provided with hydraulic supply and return lines that connect the cylinder to a suitable source of fluid pressure mounted on the harvester. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, because of their size and significant weight of the components to be moved by the hydraulic drivers, such hydraulic lines are required to withstand substantially significant hydraulic pressures and, because of their length, add to the overall manufacturing costs of the harvester. Adding further elongated hydraulic lines and conduits to the harvester further complicates the hydraulic circuitry already existing with the harvester.
Thus, there is a need and a desire for a large capacity two-piece cotton receiving receptacle having a hood assembly and wherein the hood assembly and an upper basket portion of the receptacle are movable in timed relation relative to each other to promote efficiency and effectiveness of the harvester by reducing downtime and to inhibit damage to the duct structure upon movement of the upper basket portion to a lower storage position.